Description

 Microgynon 30 is a combined contraceptive pill, usually just called ‘the pill’. It contains two hormones – an oestrogen and a progestogen.

Most women take Microgynon to prevent an unwanted pregnancy, but it’s also prescribed for women who have problems with particularly heavy, painful or irregular periods. Taking it usually results in lighter, less painful and more regular menstrual bleeding.

Microgynon 30 is the same as other combined pills containing ethinylestradiol 30 micrograms and levonorgestrel 150 micrograms. These include Levest, Ovranette and Rigevidon.

How does Microgynon 30 work?

Each Microgynon 30 tablet contains two active ingredients, ethinylestradiol 30 micrograms and levonorgestrel 150 micrograms. These are synthetic versions of the naturally occurring female sex hormones, oestrogen and progesterone.

Combined pills like Microgynon over-ride your natural menstrual cycle and work mainly by stopping your ovaries from releasing an egg each month (ovulation). They also increase the thickness of the natural mucus at the neck of the womb, making it more difficult for sperm to cross from the vagina into the womb, as well as thinning the womb lining (endometrium), making it more difficult for any successfully fertilised eggs to implant there. You take one pill every day for three weeks, then have a week break before starting the next packet. During your pill-free week the levels of hormones in your blood fall and you’ll usually get a withdrawal bleed that’s like your period.

Key facts about Microgynon 30

• Microgynon 30 is most often prescribed for young women who don’t have any major health issues. It’s not suitable for women who have an increased risk of getting a blood clot, including women over 35 who smoke.
• Microgynon is more than 99% effective when taken correctly, but missing pills, vomiting, diarrhoea and taking certain other medicines can make it less effective. See below.
• Microgynon 30 won’t protect you against sexually transmitted infections; you’ll still need to use condoms for that.
• The most common side effects of Microgynon include headaches, feeling sick, breast tenderness and mood changes.
• Breakthrough bleeding, spotting and missed periods can be common in the first few months. See your doctor if this persists. If you don’t have a period for two consecutive months, do a pregnancy test before starting the next month’s packet of pills.
• Blood clots are a rare but serious side effect of the pill. See below for more details.

BEFORE YOU TAKE MICROGYNON 30 ED

When you must not take it

Do not take Microgynon 30 ED if you have an allergy to:

• ethinylestradiol and/or levonorgestrel (the active ingredients in Microgynon 30 ED)
• any of the ingredients listed at the end of this leaflet.

Some of the symptoms of an allergic reaction may include:

• shortness of breath
• wheezing or difficulty in breathing
• swelling of the face, lips, tongue or other parts of the body
• rash, itching or hives on the skin.

Do not take Microgynon 30 ED if you have or have had a blood clot in:

• the blood vessels of the legs (deep vein thrombosis – DVT)
• the lungs (pulmonary embolism – PE)
• the heart (heart attack)
• the brain (stroke)
• other parts of the body.

Do not take Microgynon 30 ED if you have or are concerned about an increased risk of blood clots. Blood clots are rare. Very occasionally blood clots may cause serious permanent disability, and may even be fatal.

You are more at risk of having a blood clot when you take the Pill. However, the risk of having a blood clot when taking the Pill is less than the risk of having a blood clot during pregnancy.

Do not take Microgynon 30 ED if you are concerned about an increased risk of blood clots because of age or smoking. The risk of having a heart attack or stroke increases as you get older. It also increases if you smoke. You should stop smoking when taking the Pill, especially if you are older than 35 years of age.

Do not take Microgynon 30 ED if you are taking any antiviral medicines which contain ombitasvir, paritaprevir and/or dasabuvir. These antiviral medicines are used to treat chronic (long-term) hepatitis C (an infectious disease that affects the liver, caused by the hepatitis C virus (HCV)).

Do not take Microgynon 30 ED if you have, or have had:

• any blood clotting disorders such as Protein C deficiency, Protein S deficiency, Leiden Factor V mutation, Antithrombin III deficiency or other inherited blood clotting conditions
• a confirmed blood test showing:
  – increased levels of homocysteine
  – antiphospholipid antibodies (APLAs) e.g. anticardiolipin-antibodies and lupus anticoagulant. These may increase your risk for blood clots or pregnancy losses (miscarriage)
• major surgery after which you have not been able to move around for a period of time
• angina (chest pain)
• a mini-stroke (also known as TIA or transient ischaemic attack)
• migraine, where you have also had problems with seeing, speaking or had or weakness or numbness in any part of your body
• high risk of blood clots due to conditions such as diabetes with blood vessel damage, severe high blood pressure or severe high or low level of fats in your blood
• pancreatitis (an inflammation of the pancreas) associated with high levels of fatty substances in your blood
• severe liver disease and your liver function has not returned to normal
• cancer that may grow under the influence of sex hormones (e.g. of the breast or the genital organs)
• a benign or malignant liver tumour
• unexplained vaginal bleeding.

If any of these conditions appear for the first time while using the Pill, stop taking it at once and tell your doctor. In the meantime, use non-hormonal (barrier) methods of contraception (such as condoms or a diaphragm).

Do not take this medicine if you are pregnant or think you might be pregnant.

Do not give this medicine to a child. Microgynon 30 ED is not intended for use in females whose periods have not yet started.

Do not take this medicine after the expiry date printed on the pack and blister. The expiry date is printed on the carton and on each blister after “EXP” (e.g. 11 18 refers to November 2018). The expiry date refers to the last day of that month. If it has expired return it to your pharmacist for disposal.

Do not take this medicine if the packaging is torn or shows signs of tampering. If the packaging is damaged, return it to your pharmacist for disposal.

If you are not sure whether you should start taking this medicine, talk to your doctor.

HOW TO TAKE MICROGYNON 30 ED

Follow all directions given to you by your doctor or pharmacist carefully. They may differ from the information contained in this leaflet.

If you do not understand the instructions on the pack, ask your doctor or pharmacist for help.

How to take it

Take one tablet daily at about the same time every day. You must take Microgynon 30 ED every day regardless of how often you have sex. This will also help you remember when to take it.

Swallow the tablet whole with a full glass of water. It does not matter if you take it before or after food.

Each blister pack is marked with the day of the week. Take your first tablet from the red area on the blister pack corresponding to the day of the week.

Follow the direction of the arrows on the blister pack until all the tablets have been taken.

A period should begin 2 to 3 days after starting to take the white inactive tablets (last row) and may not have finished before the next pack is started.

Always start a new blister pack on the same day of the week as your previous pack.

Taking Microgynon 30 ED for the first time

If you are starting Microgynon 30 ED after a natural cycle, and you have not used a hormonal contraceptive in the past month, start on the first day of your period, i.e. the first day of menstrual bleeding. You must also use additional barrier contraceptive precautions (e.g. condoms or a cap or diaphragm with spermicide) for the first 14 days of tablet-taking when having intercourse.

Your doctor will advise you when to start if you:

• are taking Microgynon 30 ED after having a baby
• have had a miscarriage or an abortion.

Changing from another contraceptive

Changing from a combined oral contraceptive:
Start taking Microgynon 30 ED on the day after taking the last active tablet in your previous Pill pack. Bleeding may not occur until the end of the first pack of Microgynon 30 ED.

If you are not sure which were the active/inactive tablets in your previous Pill pack, ask your doctor or pharmacist. Your previous Pill pack may have different colour tablets to those of Microgynon 30 ED.

Changing from a vaginal ring:
Start taking Microgynon 30 ED on the day of removal of the ring but at the latest when the next application would have been due.

Changing from a progestogen-only pill (‘minipill’):
Stop taking the minipill on any day and start taking Microgynon 30 ED at the same time the day after your last minipill.

You must also use additional barrier contraceptive precautions (e.g. condoms or a diaphragm) for the first 14 days of tablet-taking when having intercourse.

Changing from a progestogen-only injection, implant or intrauterine system (IUS):
Start taking Microgynon 30 ED when your next injection is due, or on the day that your implant or IUS is removed.

You must also use additional barrier contraceptive precautions (e.g. condoms or a diaphragm) for the first 14 days of tablet-taking when having intercourse.

Stopping Microgynon 30 ED

You can stop taking Microgynon 30 ED at any time. If you are considering becoming pregnant, it is recommended that you begin taking a vitamin supplement containing folic acid. It is best that you start taking folic acid tablets before you stop taking Microgynon 30 ED and not stop until your doctor advises this. Ask your doctor or pharmacist about suitable supplements. It is both safe and recommended that you take folic acid during pregnancy.

Additional contraceptive precautions

When additional contraceptive precautions are required you should either abstain from sex, or use a barrier method of contraception, a cap (or diaphragm) plus spermicide, or a condom. Rhythm methods are not advised as the Pill disrupts the cyclical changes associated with the natural menstrual cycle e.g. changes in temperature and cervical mucus.

If you forget to take Microgynon 30 ED

If you miss a tablet and take the missed tablet within 12 hours of missing it, you should still be protected against pregnancy.

If you are more than 12 hours late follow these detailed instructions:

For Microgynon 30 ED to be most effective, beige active tablets need to be taken uninterrupted for 7 days.

If you have been taking the beige active tablets for 7 uninterrupted days and miss a beige active tablet, take the missed tablet as soon as you remember, then go back to taking your Pill as you would normally, even if this means taking two tablets in one day, at the same time. You should still be protected against pregnancy.

The chance of pregnancy after missing a beige active tablet depends on when you missed the tablet.

There is a higher risk of becoming pregnant if you miss a tablet at the beginning or end of a pack.

If after taking your missed tablet you have less than 7 days of beige active tablets left in a row, you should finish the active tablets in your pack but skip the white inactive tablets. Start taking the beige active tablets in your next pack corresponding to the correct day of the week. This is the best way to maintain contraceptive protection. However, you may not have a period until the end of the beige active tablets of the second pack. You may have spotting or breakthrough bleeding on tablet-taking days.

If you have been taking the beige active tablets for less than 7 days and miss a beige active tablet, take the missed tablet as soon as you remember, then go back to taking your Pill as you would normally, even if this means taking two tablets in one day, at the same time. In addition, you must also use additional barrier contraceptive precautions (e.g. condoms or a diaphragm) for the next 7 days.

If you have had sexual intercourse in the preceding 7 days, there is a possibility of pregnancy and you may need emergency contraception. You should discuss this with your doctor or pharmacist.

If you forget to take more than one beige active tablet, seek advice from your doctor or pharmacist about what to do.

If you have had sexual intercourse in the week before missing your tablets, there is a possibility of becoming pregnant.

If you miss a large white inactive tablet, you do not need to take them later because they do not contain any active ingredients. However, it is important that you discard the missed white tablet(s) to make sure that the number of days between taking active tablets is not increased as this would increase the risk of pregnancy. Continue with the next tablet at the usual time

Please see the table at the end of this leaflet, “Summary of advice if you missed a tablet more than 12 hours ago”.

Ask your doctor or our pharmacist to answer any questions you may have.